Halachos, Torah and Stories related to Chanukah.
The halachos have been compiled by R’ Avrohom Godinger, Talmid Muvhak of R’ Stienberg Shlit”a, Rosh Kolel Zichron Avos and Dean of Chachmas Hasofer, translated into English by Mordechai Adler, Petach Tikvah, Israel.
No halachic conclusions should be derived from this page, and a competent Orthodox Rabbi should always be consulted when in doubt.

Monday, December 11, 2006

The Love of Hashem and More

by Reb Shmuli

"U'minosar Kankanim Na'aseh Neis La'Shoshanim B'Nei Vina Yemei Shmona Kovoo Shir U'rannanim"To explain this verse the Kedishas Tzion explains we are to look at the famous kasha and answer from the Beis Yosef.The Beis Yosef asks why is Chanukah eight days, they had enough for the first day so the miracle was actually for seven days. The Beis Yosef answers that they divided the oil in the Pach into 8 chalokim for each night. Each chelek burnt till the morning so there was a miracle on the first night as wellThe Pri Chodosh asks, the gemora explains the possuk "Me'erev ad boker" that the precise measure should be given to burn till the morning, so how were the Chasmonoim allowed to initially divide the oil into 8 chelokim. Also seeing that there is klal "ein somchim al haneis" they should have used all the oil on the first so at least one night would be done correctly.

However, there is a kasha, why was there a need for such a miracle, we pasken "timah hitra b'tzibber"? Any oil could have been used.The Chacam Tzvi and the Pnei Yehoshia answer that even though the hadlokas neiros is docha the timah, the Ribbono Shel Oilam wanted to show his love for us and that we should light in tahara/purity. So the Beis Yosef's answer is understandable. Once the Chasmonoim saw the pach was provided al derech neis, they understood that Hashem wanted to show His love for us, that even though mi'tzad hadin unpure oil could have been used Hashem wanted us to light only oil that was tahor.Then when they realized it would take 8 days to get more tahor oil, they understood that Hashem would of course provide a neis for the full 8 days, as Hashem does not provide miracles for nothing. Therefore even 1/8th of the oil would burn the whole night so that the mitzvah could be done completely btahara.And you can't question "ein somchim al haneis" because now that they saw the neis that Hashem proided the Pach and is showing His love for Klal Yisroel and it needs to last for 8 days. The "eighth" (each chelek" was actuallty a full and proper midda.

so this explains the original verse

U'minosar Kankanim - that from the remining pach of oil that had the chosomo of the cohen gadol, from there we see that "Na'aseh Neis La'Shoshanim" a miracle was provided to Klal Yisroel which is called Shoshana which is loshon of chiba, through which the Chashmonoim saw the love of Hashem that he wanted them to light b'tahara, they then understood "dovor mitoch dovor" that Hashem will continue with the neis for the eight days so they can continue to light b'tahara, so they immediately split the oil into eight portions.B'Nei Vina - refers to the chashmonoim who understood "dovor mitoch dovor" and established Yemei Shmona Kovoo Shir U'rannanim eight days of song and praise.-----------------------In "Mizmor Shir Chanukas Habayis L'Dovid" it says "Hafachti Mispedi L'Mochol Li"The Kedishas Tzion explains as follows.The Midrash in Bereishis Rabba says "Praiseworthy are Tzaddikim that "turn" Middos Hadin into Middas Harachamim". The Meforshim explain that when Chas Vesholom a bad gezeirah is declared on Klal Yisroel, it is announced which letters are bringing the Gezeirah. Tzaddikim with their tefilos are are able to turn them around from bad to good. For example, "tzora to Rotza or Tzohar", "nega to Oneg" or "Dova to Hod"

The same can be said here if Chas V'shalom the gezeira of "Mispeid" is decreed - with the concept of "At-Bash" the letters of "mispeid" become yud,ches,vov, kuv which has a Gematria of 124, the same gematria of "Mochol Li"

So that is pshat, when you are mehapach the word Mispeid with "At-Bash" it is to Mochol Li and changing from Middas Hadin to Middas harachamim